*** (3 stars)
Pros:
Lots of TVs for sports.
Cheap beer and drinks.
Cons:
Mediocre, high calorie food, with nothing to distinguish it from every other sports bar.
Miller’s Ale House
12371 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL 32836
https://www.yelp.com/biz/millers-ale-house-lake-buena-vista-orlando
**** (4 stars)
This is an excellent sports bar, with lots of screens, and a very extensive menu. There's pretty much and sports bar food you can think of. My burger was exactly the way I like it, and my companions Cobb salad and chicken ginger baskets both looked good. Service was prompt and friendly, as the name suggests.
Friendly Confines Metro West
2461 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
https://www.yelp.com/biz/friendly-confines-metro-west-orlando
*** (3 stars)
Pros:
Lots of TVs for sports.
Cheap beer and drinks.
Cons:
Mediocre, high calorie food, with nothing to distinguish it from every other sports bar.
Miller’s Ale House – Lake Buena Vista
12371 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL 32836
https://www.yelp.com/biz/millers-ale-house-lake-buena-vista-orlando
**** (4 stars)
I love the decor of all PF Chang's, and this is one of my favorites. It's themed, yet tasteful, dramatic yet not distracting.
It had been a few years since I'd been to this location so I thought I'd check it out. The menu is largely unchanged, which is not a bad thing; when you're doing something well, keep doing it.
We started with the shrimp dim sum, sauteed and served still sizzling on a hot metal platter. They were excellent, especially with the sauce, which was thoughtfully served on the side to keep the potstickers crisp.
We always have to have the Northern Style Short Ribs. They're generously meaty ribs with a Chinese five-spice rub. I missed the ramekin of sweet and salty spices they used to be served with, but they're still great.
The orange chicken was a generous serving for the lunch size, but the orange sauce had turned the chicken's coating a bit mushy. I would order this sauce on the side next time.
A special was the Short Rib Fried Rice. I think it was the best thing I've ever had a PF Chang's! In addition to the beef, there were mushrooms, kimchee, edamame, and a wonderful wasabi cream sauce. I had to force myself to stop eating this!
Service was friendly and speedy.
P.F. Chang’s
4200 Conroy Rd
Orlando, FL 32839
**** (4 stars)
This place is an excellent choice for a meal that will entertain the kids and provide credible food for the adults. The decor is a step beyond Rainforest Cafe-level (although the animation of the dinosaurs is not going to challenge Disney). The menu is typical sports bar plus some larger plates, and the service is good. It's large and fairly noisy, but so are dinosaurs.
T-Rex Cafe
1676 E Buena Vista Dr
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
**** (4 stars)
Can't decide between Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food? You don't need to, here! Four pages of densely printed menu pretty much cover everything. It's not actually "fusion" since the cuisines aren't being combined in new ways, but they are all represented, and are done well, and with fresh ingredients. The dining area is bright and cheery, and the service is friendly.
An’Nam
234 W 48th St
New York, NY 10036
***** (5 stars)
It's delightful to visit a traditional steakhouse that isn't part of a chain, and that maintains the aura and service that was a fixture of grand steakhouses before they became ubiquitous franchises.
Everything about Gallagher's is what I'm looking for, from the cozy booths to the subdued lighting, the sparkling central bar, and the professional yet friendly service.
We went after theater, and although the place was hopping, currently curtailed hours meant the kitchen was closing, so we limited our experience to a spectacular chilled seafood platter, some carpaccio, and some wonderfully crisp fries. Everything was terrific.
Prices are reasonable for NYC, and it was appreciated that there was a selection of half bottles of wine so we could each have our favorite.
We'll definitely make this a regular stop during visits to the theater.
Gallaghers Steakhouse
228 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019
*** (3 stars)
Solid food and service in a shotgun pub with a traditional design. The messy burger is a popular choice, and would indeed have been messy–or perhaps impossible–to eat if I hadn't taken a knife and fork to it. Great service from the solitary server handling the whole place.
Playwright Celtic Pub
732 8th Ave
New York, NY 10036
**** (4 stars)
I'll admit to being very picky about Mexican restaurants, having grown up in Southern California. My experience with Mexican restaurants in New York City has been nothing short of abysmal. So I was prepared for the same here, particularly when the salsa showed up and was something closer to cream of tomato soup.
But then the short rib tacos with bone marrow arrived, and things changed completely. This was one of the best items I've ever had in a Mexican restaurant, and could easily have been served in many of the top fine dining small plate restaurants in the city.
I'm not sure this one item fully justifies the four stars, but since the guacamole, Margarita, and ceviche were fine, it's at least a 3-1/2 star place. Just be sure to have the short ribs.
Toloache 50
251 West 50th St
New York, NY 10012
***** (5 stars)
Gabriel Kreuther is wonderful in all respects, from ambiance to food to service. For me, it is the successor to Eleven Madison for the crown of Best Restaurant in New York, and one of the best in the US.
The dining room, with its dramatic arc of salvaged wood beams, is both open and intimate, with the tables spaced far apart to make each one cozy, and the ceiling high enough to afford a pleasant sound level. A glass wall affords a view of the kitchen, which is a busy hive of about twenty chefs and cooks under the supervision of Chef Kreuther. The atmosphere seemed more convivial than in many of the Michelin kitchens I've encountered.
The restaurant's recommendation for first-time guests is the Six Course Tasting menu. This is not only a great recommendation but a great bargain. At $215 (as of this writing) it is, in short, a steal. I don't know how they came up with the number six, but including amuse bouche and ending sweets, there were at least 15 different dishes over a three-hour period.
Speaking of dishes, these were some of the most beautiful serving pieces I've ever encountered, and the glassware is stellar as well.
As for the food, it is almost pointless to describe it, as everything was wonderful, and it was impossible to pick favorites. It changes regularly, but I will mention a few that rank among the best dishes I've ever had: pate de foie gras (best flavor/texture I've encountered), smoked heirloom tomato consume (more of a gelatin, and endlessly intriguing), sturgeon tart (delicate flavorful and complex), and all the breads (there were at least four, accompanying various dishes).
As mentioned earlier, service was near perfect, with two dozen wait staff performing an intricate (and high speed) choreography to synchronize each course at each table.
Compared to the food prices, the wine bottle prices seem like less of a deal, but are certainly not unreasonable for Manhattan. The wines by the glass are an interesting assortment of styles and places of origin.
This is my new favorite restaurant in New York.
Gabriel Kreuther
41 W 42nd St
New York, NY 10036